We will review all games available from the default Ubuntu packages. Because reviewing Linux games seems like a fun thing to do.

Monday, February 4, 2008

Balazar

Again! The incomplete 3D RPG coded by French people is becoming cliche. Balazar is much more complete than Arkhart but still not actually playable. While it looks like virtually every aspect of gameplay has been finished (inventory, movement, saving, conversation, even combat) there's no actual content in place, so after going through a short tutorial, you're thrust into a world populated by characters with names that read like code, and don't have anything to say.

Where you go from there is up to you, but it doesn't seem to matter, as no one has anything to say, and attacking people doesn't get you anywhere either. I was plagued with stability problems as well - every time I played with the game (playing the game not being an option) I either got a crash that caused the program to close itself, or a lock-up that I had to manually kill.

This is another shame - the developer has abandoned the game to write some sort of puzzle game that has a similar name (Balazar Bros.) so it's unlikely that development will continue. I suppose to a programmer just getting the systems in place is the major hurdle, but to a maker of games actually getting the done, and giving users something to play should be of some importance as well, y'know?

Graphically, it's relatively pretty. The controls are a bit clumsy and hard to work with, especially the attack button - he doesn't tend to attack what he's in front of, but instead goes into a long super-attack that doesn't hit anything near you, if you hold the button down too long - but they have a nice feel to them. That is, they seem responsive, even though they're difficult.

The sound had occasional crackles, but was acceptable, if not actually good. If this were a real game, I would probably end up cutting off the sound and listening to my new CD by Rev. D-Ray and the Shockers. Since it's not a real game, I'm listening to the CD while complaining about how it's not a game. Which is still fun. Good CD.

In short, don't bother, this is another game that was abandoned by its developer long before there had been enough progress made to make it a game. This is starting to be really frequent, and I just now got to the 'B's for god's sake. Hope the next game works.